Monday, February 28, 2011

String replacement on a Wurlitzer spinet

Unfortunately, everything has to come out to make this happen. Taking a drop action out of a piano is one of my least favorite piano repair tasks.

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

Friday, February 25, 2011

Water Park of America and more!

First, let's start with the more.

I successfully rode my bike in to work this morning! Whoo hoo!! It was 4.1°, but the ride was great.. Hands and feet were fine. The beard had ice chunks in it though - I felt like an Arctic explorer (Shackelton?). The part of me that makes contact with the saddle is EXTREMELY sore! Yowsers! I hope that goes away soon enough.

On with the day: I'm currently on a charter to the largest mall in America, and on my way down here a friend asked me if I would go and check out the Water Park of America. I have always wanted to do that so this made for the perfect occasion, and I'm glad that I did!

They boast that they are the largest indoor water park in America and I believe it. They have a lazy river that is quite long that you can tube down. The water slides are incredible and there are tons of water activities, games, and spouts and jets of all kinds. They even have a giant barrel that fills up and dumps 500 gallons of water out o you ever 3.5 minutes! Included also, but oten down is a world class surf machine powered by three jet engines and running a price tag of $3 million! The time it was down before this current episode it was out of commission for two months. I wouldn't hold your breath for this attraction.

Admission is a little steep (around $30 for a day pass on the weekends, otherwise in the low 20's). They do offer military discounts, but I heard that the real deals can be found by booking ahead online where supposedly you can save up to 40%.

I hope to take the family there sometime!

Now it's time for a date with my wife and son!

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Test ride proof

So, I've made a goal to be commuting daily (on a bicycle) to work and school no matter the weather or the cold.

This means, in part, that I need to have the gear (and bike) to be able to handle Minnesota's worst weather. As far as cold weather is concerned, I'm getting there - just a couple more items and I'll be set. But, what I have now is a god start and is surviveable. First, I purchased a pair of Sorel Alpha Pac boots, windproof and waterproof, rated to keep those tootsies warm down to -60! So far so good (and they work like a charm).

Secondly, hands. I seem to have poor circulation in my extremities the feet are fine now, but what about the hands? For that I got a pair of barr mitts made of neoprene: windproof and waterproof. They cover the entire bar and you just slip your hands in. -30? No problem, just a pair of wool inserts and you will be fine!

For the core, it's a matter of a wind/water proof outer layer with moisture wicking skin layers and wool in between.

All that and I'm ready to ride! Aside from being out of shape, my ride tonight was comfortable. Roughly 7 miles total (the distance I will have to ride each way to work and back) on a borrowed mt. bike. The temp for the night ride? A balmy 17°F with the windchill bringing it down in the low single digits (for the ride). 

To where did I ride? Meadowbrook Elementary School in Golden Valley. Whoo hoo!

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

A work in progress

It's got a ways to go, but it's getting there! I can play both hands but a bit slower.

Bach Praeludium 11 (F Major), BVW 856/1

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

Gabriel feeding himself!

126 days old (a hair over four months) and holding his own bottle from time to time!

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

Monday, February 21, 2011

President's Day

School's out, but we have our work cut out for us getting ready for school tomorrow after the blizzard.

Grace,
Matthew

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

Saturday, February 19, 2011

45th monthivesary!

A trip to the Bakken Mueseum of electricity off of Lake Calhoun, free bread samples from Great Harvest Bread Co. in Linden Hills; lunch @ Sonic, and a trip to the Freewheel Bikes to check out cold weather gear.

Grace,
Matthew

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Test

Seeing if I can simultaneously blog and tweet! ....

Grace,
Matthew

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

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Permit to panhandle?

Corner of Lexington and I-94 in St. Paul. I saw the officer stop, get out of her car, take his sign and ask for something - either a pemit or ID. Pretty funny.

Grace,
Matthew

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

On a walk

We stopped at the library on our way back home to get a museum pass. We love the stroller that we got off of craigslist for only $25!

Grace,
Matthew

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Eewwww!

Bus 851 probably gets swept twice a year ... (?)

Among the usual garbage I found:
- a hockey puck (!)
- a carnation (from yesteday, probably)
- a glove
- a nice butterfly jewelry piece
- a barely distinguishable apple core
- lasagna (that was not in a container, by the way)
- a geometry aid

Grace,
Matthew

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

Monday, February 14, 2011

Valentine's date @ Pei Wei & Caribou!

A fun, mostly random date with my bride and son!

Grace,
Matthew

-- Sent from my Palm Pre